Summary:
Zip code 35064 (Fairfield, Alabama) is served by a single middle school, C J Donald Middle School, part of the Fairfield City district, which enrolls 316 students in grades 6-8 and serves a predominantly low-income community, with 87% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
As the only middle school in the area, C J Donald faces significant academic hurdles. Proficiency rates in math are critically low, ranging from just 3.37% in 6th grade to 6.98% in 7th grade, compared to state averages of 24-35%. Science is the weakest subject, with only 15.15% of 8th graders proficient versus 54.12% statewide. English scores are comparatively stronger, with 8th grade proficiency at 36.27%, though still well below the state's 58.53%. The school's overall ranking has remained stagnant in the bottom 5-7% of Alabama schools for three consecutive years, and the district itself ranks 130th out of 139 statewide.
Despite these academic challenges, there are notable bright spots. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low at just 2.6%, far better than the state average of 12.0%, indicating strong student attendance habits and family engagement. Additionally, 8th grade English proficiency more than doubled from 16.51% to 36.27% in one year, suggesting that targeted interventions can yield results. However, math scores show significant year-over-year volatility, with 6th grade proficiency dropping from 15.15% to 3.37%. With per-student spending at $11,750, the school has resources to work with, but the combination of high poverty and low academic outcomes suggests that funds may need to be redirected toward evidence-based STEM programs, particularly in math and science, to build on the school's strengths in attendance and literacy.
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